Both IU Health Arnett and Franciscan Health in Lafayette will begin limiting elective procedures as their emergency rooms fill due to a mix of COVID-19, injuries, and other illnesses.
In a statement to the media Wednesday, hospital officials said they would limit elective procedures requiring an overnight stay to “ensure we have adequate resources to care for the community at large.”
IU Health Arnett Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Bien told WBAA in late July that emergency rooms in both hospitals were already full, and warned that a continued surge in COVID cases would put more stress on an already exhausted staff.
The decision to limit some elective procedures appears to be local. A spokesperson for IU Health Arnett said the IU Health system has not yet made a broader decision, but “everyone is evaluating every day because the bottom line is people are sick.”
The last time IU Health Arnett limited elective procedures was during the COVID surge in January.
Officials continue to urge residents, particularly those most at risk for the virus, get vaccinated.